Louis B. Sohn papers

This Series consists of letters received and carbons of letters sent, in addition to a sizeable amount of mimeographed material and other types of copies of agenda of meetings, reports, papers read at meetings, speeches, etc. The Series mainly relates to Sohn's professional activities such as his involvement in the work of professional organizations and conferences dealing with international legal matters, plans for meetings in the U.S. and abroad, correspondence regarding requests for articles and invitations to speak, and some correspondence relating to his publications in the field of international law.

Arrangement of this Series is alphabetical. Materials in most of the folders transferred were filed with the most recent date on top, and this order was preserved in order to keep undated enclosures and other undated items in their proper sequence. Some entries were subdivided by chronological periods by Sohn himself, and these subdivisions were retained.

This Series contains correspondence of less significance. Topics covered are professional and semi-professional in nature relating to Sohn's teaching activities, his writings, public appearances, membership in organizations in which he did not participate in major roles, travel matters connected with professional appearances, and letters from former students and from colleagues at institutions other than Harvard.

The Series is initially arranged chronologically by calendar year, and later by academic year. Within each period, arrangement is alphabetical by correspondent. Materials cover the period 1938 to 1969. There was no correspondence for the period 1951 through 1954.

This Series consists of drafts for Sohn's writings, research notes, galley proofs, page proofs, and documents that he incorporated into his writings. The Series includes material he retained from his years in Poland and France. The period covered is 1936 through 1972. Correspondence regarding publication matters of some of these titles may be found in the Major Correspondence Series under Sohn, Louis B.

Basic Documents of the United Nations was intended to be used in conjunction with Cases on United Nations Law.

This Series contains joint writings of Sohn and Grenville Clark in which they offered various proposals for achieving permanent world peace: through law, disarmament, peace institutes, and world development organizations. There is a considerable amount of correspondence between Sohn and Clark relating to their joint authorship and to publication matters. Writings are in various stages, from holograph notes to page proof. Some requests and comments are included.

The first edition of World Peace Through World Law was published in 1958, the second (revised) edition in 1960, and the third (enlarged) edition in 1966, with the subtitle: Two Alternative Plans.

In the folder list, Peace Through Disarmament and World Peace Through World Law have been abbreviated to PTD and WPTWL, respectively.

For additional correspondence between Sohn and Clark, see the Major Correspondence Series under Clark, Grenville.

Titles in this Series are occasional pieces, mainly of a professional nature. The Series is arranged chronologically by date of publication delivery. Manuscripts are in holograph, typed or near-print form, with Sohn's corrections.

These are early materials and consist mainly of notes for courses that Sohn took after he came to Harvard, dating between 1939 and 1941. Also included are manuscripts of papers he wrote, and a small amount of materials for courses he taught between 1947 and 1952. Arrangement is chronological.

This Series deals with the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and other pre-armistice (WWII) attempts at drawing up a charter for a general international organization to insure a permanent peace. Sohn attended the May 1945 San Francisco meeting. Included are drafts, reports, lists, tables, minutes and agenda of meetings, correspondence, and printed items. Arrangement is roughly chronological.

This Series covers the dates 1949-1950 and 1970-1973. The main portion of Sohn's post-WWII international activities will be found in the General Correspondence Series (Major Correspondence), under names of organizations, conferences, journals, and individuals.

This Series contains odds and ends of a personal-biographical, personal-professional, and personal-financial nature, arranged chronologically.

The Subseries in this Contingent contain similar types of materials as those described in the Series Notes for Contingent I. Dates of this Contingent span the years 1969 through 1972. Letters in folder marked "Important Letters" (110-3) cover the years 1965 through 1967. Folders headed "Human Rights" (109-9 through 110-2) include a few 1973 items.

Each Suberies in this Contingent accounts for one academic year. Within each subseries, entries for folders are arranged alphabetically, and chronologically within a folder (or folders). Following the subject, each of the subseries contains files marked "Miscellaneous Correspondence" and "Correspondence With Foreign Countries," respectively. The period covered spans the academic years 1972/1973 through 1978/1979.

Scope and content of the subseries in this Contingent is similar to materials included in Contingent II.